Canrillaise farmers bring Rechtenburg to a standstill in anti-government protest

As part of a "Day of Rage" against the controversial anti-minority rhetoric of the governing coalition party Mordusia First, Canrillaise farmers, mainly from Sammodra State, have descended upon the capital city of Rechtenburg and succeeded in bringing it largely to a standstill for the day. Farmers drove in with their tractors, blocking up most of the major roads leading in and out of the city. As part of the protest, tires were set on fire and manure was dumped on the road. There were also incidents where agricultural produce was dumped as well, including a lorryload of red wine.

Gérald Boffrand, chief organiser of the "Day of Rage" event, was arrested at about 1.15pm this afternoon on charges of organising an illegal obstruction, but was later released on bail. In an interview to the media, he called on "the whole world to look at what is happening in Mordusia, and see how the Canrillaise are being treated by our own government". He also vowed to "repeat this again if it is necessary" and that "we will bring the government down - we will do whatever it takes - we've had enough".

Liberal Union leader Henri Bachelot said he was "saddened by the bitterness, the anger and the disruption that we have seen today" but insisted "the government has brought this on itself" and said he "supports in the strongest terms the message that the protesters are trying to send out". "The people have had enough of the racist and bigots," he added.

Jean-Baptiste Duchemin, a Canrillaise Mordusian who won bronze at the last Olympics

Three of Mordusia's top high jump athletes, Jean-Baptiste Duchemin, Edouard Delaunay and Lucy Miller, have issued a joint statement saying "we love our sport and love our country" but "we could not bring ourselves to represent Mordusia at the 4380 Olympics if the Mordusian government is still of the character it is today".

The move is a protest against the controversial anti-Canrillaise rhetoric coming from Mordusia First, particularly of its leader, Gregory Hewson.

Jean-Baptiste Duchemin, the most well-known of the athletes, added:

We decided we had to take a stand on this, we had to do something. The government have gone too far. They are trying to pass laws which discriminate against minorities, such as Canrillaise and the LGBT community, and they are making statements which make us feel like we are second-class citizens. Everybody in the Olympic Team understands our position, and most of our fellow athletes and coaches have been very sympathetic. I think it is likely that more athletes will join us if, as the Olympics gets closer, we are still in the same situation. Obviously we all want to compete in the Olympics and do our best for ourselves and for Mordusia, but there are some situations where it is right to make a stand.

Liberal Union leader Henri Bachelot said:

I 100% respect how the athletes feel. It is very admirable they are making a stand. It is just sad that in taking this stand, they may be negatively impacting their own careers, as they could lose out on the opportunity to take part in the Olympics. What we are seeing here is that Mordusia is waking up to the dangers of right-wing extremism. I really hope the rest of Terra is going to wake up and take notice of this too. More and more Mordusians - from all backgrounds - are saying they no longer feel liberty and democracy are safe in this country.

The largely Canrillaise city of Jean-de-Dieu experienced a night of violence yesterday evening after the news broke that Gregory Hewson had narrowly won the Presidential election. Hewson is a controversial and divisive figure in Mordusian politics, who has a history of anti-Canrillaise and other anti-minority comments and behaviour.

Social media has been flooded with messages and photographs alleging brutality and general heavy-handedness on the part of the police. Complaints are also emerging that the city's police force has an anti-Canrillaise bias and that Canrillaise officers are severely under-represented in the most senior positions.

Liberal Union leader Henri Bachelot called Hewson's election "a national embarrassment and a calamity", but insisted "Terra has got to know that this man does not represent who we are and what we are about as a country". He also urged Mordusia's political leaders "to work together to ensure the extremists are kept out of government in the new parliamentary session".

Liberal MP calls for monarchy debate

In the aftermath of controversial Mordusia First leader Gregory Hewson's election as President and the death of Empress Sarah IV, newly-elected Liberal MP Josephine Braithwaite has called "for a real national debate looking at the options in terms of restoring a constitutional monarchy in Mordusia, in some shape or form". She also expressed her "personal opinion" that Empress Sarah IV's successor, Alexander, "could be just the very person we need". She warned that "electing our symbolic Head of State by popular vote will always risk disasters like Hewson" and that "constitutional monarchy is much more stable".

As a royalist, Braithwaite is in a minority in her party, which is generally staunchly republican.

Today, Gregory Hewson; Former Treasurer and Current Minister of Trade and Industry has one the Presidential Elections; sweeping Mordusia First! to victory in every state except for Adubura. Upon his inauguration, he made a speech talking about national progress and moving forward to reach victory;

Democracy has spoken; and it says “We wan’t Gregory Hewson to rule our country and move us forward!” I cannot begin to express the pride and honour I have in being elected as your leader and I guarantee you that Mordusia will become a dominant force in Terra! Mordusia has been declining in the past decades and entered a recession:

The problem is we have not had leaders with the foresight or the intestinal fortitude to cast aside political correctness. They have failed to discard old treaties and agreements that are not in our best interest and have signed new ones giving away our sovereignty, rights, jobs and democracy. Their push for globalisation, economic rationalism, free trade and ethnic diversity has seen our country's decline.

This is due to foreign takeover of our land and assets, out-of-control debt, failing infrastructure, high unemployment or underemployment and the destruction of our farming sector. Indiscriminate immigration and aggressive multiculturalism have caused crime to escalate and trust and social cohesion to decline. Too many Mordusians are afraid to walk alone at night in their neighbourhoods because there are too many Ahmadists and Communists threatening our way of life, along with some Canrillaise. However, that will stop under President Hewson, I assure you it will.

He was to continue his speech however dangerous riots threatened his security and President Hewson was rushed to safety immediately.

IF YOU DON’T JUMP FOR HEWSON’S MORDUSIA, YOU DON’T JUMP AT ALL!

Chariman of the Mordusian Olympic Commitee comments on Mordusian athletes

Recently, Jean-Baptiste Duchemin and two other Mordusian athletes have stated that they would not be competing in the Olympics under the Mordusian Flag due to the people in Government. However, Chairman Frederick Hunt of the Mordusian Olympic Committee has warned them that if they refuse to compete for Mordusia; there will be consequences:

I have recently spoken with the President and the Ministers of Foreign as well as Internal Affairs about your plans to compete under another banner than Mordusian and I have to warn you that doing so will be detrimental to your career. If you don’t compete for Mordusia, the President is threatening to ban you from competing entirely. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will deny your visas to exit the country and you will remain in Mordusia unless you compete under our banner. I personally do not agree with this move however, if you do not wish to end your careers, I suggest you meet their demands.

Last edited by The Tea Party on Tue May 01, 2018 8:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

PAISLEY CALLS FOR CLOSER COOPERATION BETWEEN SOCIALISTS, LIBERALS, AND GREENS

Jonathan Paisley, the leader of the Socialist Party has called for closer cooperation between his party, the Liberal Union, and the Green Left, with the goals of forming a so-called rainbow coalition.

When a student asked him about working with the Liberals and the Greens in a tactical alliance to beat Mordusia First, he answered:

"It might look like an odd bunch, but if the Socialist Party, the Liberal Union, and the Green Left band together, I think we could have a shot at winning" he said at a Q&A in the Federal University of Rechtenburg "Hosian parties have dominated Mordusian politics for centuries. I think Mordusia deserves real change"

He was greeted with applause from the FUR Socialist Party Campus Club, which has been supportive of Paisley's move to the left.

"He represents a return to the politics of Plyd and Pacheco" says FUR SP Club head, Neil Harmon "The third way policies that we have embraced has alienated our traditional base, and driven them into the arms of the hard right, as we can see by the victory of Hewson"

Aside from this, he was asked various questions about the state of the economy, environmental protection, and global affairs